France to ban sale of gas cars in favor of electric to meet Paris climate goals

France to ban sale of gas cars in favor of electric to meet Paris climate goals
By Teresa Welsh


France will no longer sell gas and diesel vehicles after 2040 to help the country meet its goals under the Paris climate agreement, the country’s ecology minister announced Thursday.

Nicolas Hulot said such a move is a “public health issue” due to pollution in many French cities, according to the Telegraph.

“The solutions are there, our own makers have in their boxes the means to fulfill this promise,” Hulot said. He called it a “veritable revolution.”

French President Emmanuel Macron pledged to “make the planet great again” after President Donald Trump announce that the U.S. would withdraw from the Paris climate agreement. That accord, reached in 2015 with support from the Obama administration, set ambitious goals to reduce emissions around the globe. Only Syria and Nicaragua did not sign it.

Hulot called the Trump administration’s stance on the issue a “brutal attitude” but indicated there were still American partners, like non-governmental organizations, France could work with on climate issues.

France will offer incentives for people to replace old vehicles with cleaner models.

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